Hand press



Aug. 31, 1948. A. ALK 2,448,288

HAND PRESS Filed Aug. '26, 1948 v w Y 1] 21 18 i [a /'s AGENT.

Patented Aug. 31, 1948 UNITED4 s'rrEs -1 i;i''1''iiN'l'I OFFICE l The invention relates, ticularly. to hand operated presses. p I

vOne of the principai objects of'my ;invention is .toprovide a hand operated press wkhichis simple in construction, light in weight and :'easy, to

handle.`y V

Another object of my inventionV ls to provide a hand operated press which translate'ssmall applied 'force into a power/ful pressure.

Another object of my invention isA the'provision of a hand operated press capable of receiving and pressurizing eq'ually wellbulky material as well as material of small thickness.

A further object of my invention is to provide ahand voperated press consisting of lnexpensive parts which may be easily and cheaply replaced.

` Alistill further object of my invention is to provide a hand operated press whereinthe amount of pressure exerted may easily and speedily be adjusted. o w Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part'in the, following specification and in part will be obvloustherefrom without being speciflcally referred to, the same being realized and'attained as pointedout in the claims hereof. i p

' Desirable features' for hand presses include compactness, light weight and provisions fora suitable ratioV of force applied in relation to pressure obtained, and generally these features may be found in hand presses now in'use. f However, most manually operated presses are deficient in large lev'erage to facilitate the exertion' of'presvsure and in latching means forV maintainih'g' the desired pressure after the manually applied'force has ceased.,V V o. I I have provided a manually operated 'press which overcomes these' difllculties and has other- Wise desirable advantages Vover devices heretofore knownI With the above and other objects ofmy invention in view, the invention consists in-the novel construction, larrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts`,fas set forth in the claims hereof, certain embodizmen'ts' of the same being illustrated in the accompanyin'gdrawings an'd described in the'speciflcation. i In the accompanying drawings, 1 I o, i

Figl is .a perspective view ofa press embodying my invention; i y Fig. 2 is a sectional view of File. .1;

taken' 'along ime 2;, 12 'Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view'I ,inp'erspect'iv partly in section, showing details ofV the: strap arransement;

" Clarins. (chro-187)' to presses and more par- Figi. 4 is a sectional viewl taken along line 4-4 ofFigrZiand l Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modification. I In carrying the invention into effect in the embodimenltswhich Lhave selected for illustratlon in the accompanying drawings and for description inthis specification, and referring now particularly to Figiv 1, I provide a lower board I and an upper .board I |2 oppositely larranged thereto. Between said boards a material |3 is placed for receivingmpressure from said two boards. As shown most clearly in Fig. v2, the lower board [I has an upper surface M which is fiat and in engagement with the material 13;,simi1ar1y, the upper board |2 has a fiat bottom surface |6 in engagement with the material |3. fi

lSaid lower board I is provided with a continuousy groove generallydesignated H, disposed in threevexterior surfaces thereof. i Said groove '.l'l is composed of a straight portion 18` located about midway in the lower surface 19 of said lower Vboard ll` and of tw0 voppositely arranged groove 'portions 2| and 22 arra'n'ged in the side surface 20 of said lower board connecting the upper surface Ill and the lower surface 19 thereof. The vintersecti'o'ns of said groove portions are rounded 'asfin'dicated at 23 and said groove I'l moreover lhas a smooth ,surface throughout for' minimizing friction therein.`

Said upper board 12 has a side surface 24 connectin'g the' lower surface VHi and the top surface 26,'thereof and, in alignment with said opposite grooves 2`| and 22 of said lower board ||,.said side surface 24 has opposite grooves 21 and 28, respective1y. Theintersections of said grooves with the 111519131'v "s'urfacef26 are also rounded, as indicated at29, to minimizefriction. i 'VTwo spaced hooks 3| lare secured to the top surface 26 and disposed substantially centrally thereon; vthese hooks may be screwed into the board `|2l or Tsecure'd lthereto by any other well known suitable means. A strap 32 having a width slightly smallerthan the width of said grooves and having .a thickness smaller than the depth o'fs'aid grooves encirclescompletely said boards Il'and |2, as best shown in Fig. 2. A part of said strap 32 isplaced in'ysaidgroovesand, sincethese'are provided with'smooth surfaces and rounded inter- Sections, the friction between said strap 32 and saidgrooves is negligible. o

Said 'strap132 hasa rough'surface propitious forfrictional surface engagement for the .purpose described later on; it may be made ofrwoven textile' or ,roughened leather or similar suitable material of high frction, great tensile strength and preferably of small elasticity.

Said strap 32 has two end portions 33 and 34 near the ends of said strap. One of said end portions, designated 33, forms a loop 36 which carries a rod 31 projecting sideways thereof in two opposite directions. II'he projecting ends of said rod 31 are detachably engaged by said hooks 3| for removably securing said oneend portion 33 of said. strap32 with relation' to vsaid upper board |2.

The strap 32 is thus fixed with one end to the.` upper board |2 and extends from there around exteriorly, and the other end portion. 34 of said. strap 32 passes through a space provided' between said two hooks 3| andisaid'first end: pentium: 33 and the upper surface 26, and extends for a portion between said surface 26 and a part of' said' strap near said first end-portion 33. Thereby, the two' endi portions' 33" and 3410i` said' strap'- over-ap each other and are arranged adjacent and; for a portion, in contact with each other.

A cylindrically shaped roller` 36- is located be'- n'eath apart near said 'first end portion 332 of said strap 32i and above saidl top'surfacey 26. 'Said' second 'end portion-`34f 'of' said-'strap' 32 is securedbyna'i1s`3'V to'` said roller 38` and said rollerisv rotatabl'e'- around' its cylindricall axis in its' positionfor windngl saidI second end' portion 34* ofv thestrap' 3'2' thereon' and' therefrom'. Said roller; furthermore; is provided with twol spaced rowsof radially arranged bores 38; each -bore'of one row having a: corresponding one intheother row parallel therewith.

A detachable bifurcated' handl'e- 39' is' provided with two legs 46 spacedfor-a di'stan'ce equai`v to't'he distances between said two rows of" -bores 38. Said' hand-le 39 maybe manually' inserted into-:a selected' pairv of bo'res, as' best' shownV in Fig. i, forimpa'rting'a rotating motion' to saidJ roll'er`` 361;

In'V Fig. 5-` I have vshown a' modified` hook- '424 which is fastene'd to the upperjboard '|2' by means ofa countersunk'screw-B'.

The'operation of' my device' is as' foli'ows:

The' material |3fi'sf'piaced' upon: the upper sur'- face v Mi of the' lower board l'l; and subseqnently the upper' board Vl 2 isd placed' thereon' with" its b'ott'om' surface IB' in 'contact with the material |3.

The rol1er'3ii` to' which said free end* porti'on 34 is fastened by means of'nai'ls 35, is'placed'ontop of' thej'upper board |2',` asshownV in Fig. 2: Thereafter thestrap 32'is s1ung1betweenv the two' hook's 3^| ('011'4'4' in Fig. 5)' and placed' in. s'eqnence' i'n the gro'ove's 21, 2|; [8, 22'and12'8,,and placecrat'op the' roller 36. V'I'he rod 31:y is. thereafter'placed in the loop 364 of the strap and the proj'ecting' ends of' the rod' are placed in' the hooks' 3] (or 4141 respectively). i f j` Subsequently the roller 36' is vrotat'ed so that said' free endv portionv 3'4' wound around the surface of the. roller For this ,purpose the handle 39' is inserted. withy its legs 401 into a pair offlbores 38'` to impart manuallyv the'rotating'm'o'- tion to the roller 36. The rotation may be either counterclockw'se followingthe arrow v42' or' clockwise following the arrow 43'with respect to'` Figi,l so that the resultant end'positionwill'theneither -be' in accord'an'ce with'Fig. 2` or with Fi'g. 5",,r,espectively, depending upon the' rotation applied".` In either case the strapv 32 will be` tensioned'longitudinally until the desired pressure'hasbeen' reached. By this turning'l of theroller' 35', the strap which is engaged'tothe exterior'of the' two 4 boards substantially frictionless, will cause the boards to move together, thereby exerting pressure onto the material 13. The surfaces of the two end portions of the strap 32, which are in contact along a portion of the surface of the roller 36, will be frictionally interengaged, the friction increasing with increasing tension of the strap due to the -downward pressure component exentedtfromA the strapontothe rol1er36 and in- ,d'icated by an arrow M (see Figi 2) pressure will continue due to the friction of the overlapping ends of the strap 32 which prevents a'di'sengagement thereof and continues the pres- 4snresuch time as the roller 36 is rotated in an oppos'i'te direction, clockwise for the embodinient. shown. in= Fig..2 and indicated by the arrow 43 and. counterclockwise for the modification shown in Fig. 5 and indicated by the arrow 42, by means of the handle' 39 for releasing the tensi'on and pressure' of the press.

I do not limit' myself to the particular' details officon'stru'ction set' forth in the' foreg'oing specifibatio'nand ilustratedl in the accompanying drawi'ngs'a's the same refer tol and set Vforth only certain embodiments of the invention and' it' is obvi'ous 'that the same' may be' mo'dified, within thescope'of thev appended'claims, without departing from ,the spirit and scope' of the invention.

' Having't'h'us descri-bed'the*invention, what I claiin vas* new and desire to'be'secured' by etters Patent, is' as'foll'ows: 4

1. In a hand press man'uahy operable 'to compressjmaterial'between two fiat' surfaceathe combination with two oppositely disposediboard's each having'a, fiatA surface in lcontact with saidl material aiid'said'b'oards mo'vable in opposit'e directi'ons'to and. from each other for increasing .and decre'a'sin'g' pressure 'exert'ed against said material, of clampingp means comprising strap. means having. a body porti'on encircli'ng exteriorl'y said t'wo' h'oardsj and' having' two' ends,` one of. said ends'removably secured to the exterior of'a board, and t'i'ghtening means disposed'between said body portion and the exterior of a board' and'adapted to engage the other end of said' strap' means and n'ranually` operable for windine: said end; around said'tig'htem'ng means, whereby said strap means wiil'jbe'tensioned'm prcportion. to the progressinf,T windinggt'o exert pressure against said boardsand againstisaid' tightening means f'or frict'ion'ally l'atchiiigthe. sameA iniposition uponcessation of 'the manually' applied winding force.

'2. In' a handtpress the combination with tlwo oppositeiy'disposed boards ad'apte'd to move relative to each other for receiving a material' therebetween vrnpressure engagement, of. clfampi'ng means comprisin'g' a longitudinal' strap adapted to encircl'e said' t'wo boards ext'eriorly' and havingtwo end portions lin o verlapping frictionaI interengagem'ent', one'v of' said. end' portions connected with'rel'ationt'o the exterior ofone of said boards,v the other end' portion overl'appingbetween said fi'rst', end portionf and'v said' board;y and means adapted'jto engag'e saidsecondiend portion,.,said' means dispose'd'between said'firstendfpontion and said board' and' arrangedJ to move. saidsecond .end portion with relation to said'v first'fend. portion, whereby said strap will be longitudinally' ten.- sioned and the friction'betweenzsaid .overiapping endiportions increas'edlii v 3.v` In a hand press, the. combinationwith two opposi'tely' dis'posed'` boards adapted to receive material to 'be pressed' therebetween` and'to exert pressure thereagainst, of clamping'meane comprising Vstrap means having two ends and adapted to encircle said-.boards for causing the same to move towards each other, thereby pressingethe intermediate material, manually movable Vmeans arrangedto engage one of said ends of Vsaidstrap means and adapted to tensionv said strap means,

holding means detachablysecured with 4relation to one of saidboards and to the other endl of `said strap means for providing-a fixed connection between said board and said first endof said strap means, and friction means intermediate lsaid movable` means and said strap means for keeping said strap means under tension.

4. In a hand press `the combination with two oppositely disposed boards adapted to move rela- 'V engage the other end of said strap means and arranged between said encircling-strapmeans and the exterior of said one board so that it will be frictionally held in position thereby when said strap is sufliciently tensioned.

5. In a hand press the combination with two oppositely disposed boards adaptedto move Vrelative to each other for receiving a` material therebetween in pressure engagemenaof clampin'g means comprising a longitudinalV 'strap adapted to encircle said boards and, having two endsone of said ends secured with relation to the exterior of one of Vsaid boards and spaced therefrom, 'the other end disposed between .the exterior of said one board andv a portion of said strap means adjacent said first end for frictional engagement therewith, and movable means adapted to engage said second end and manually operable to tension said strap means and arranged intermediate the exterior of said one board and a portion of said strap means near said first end, whereby said strap means when sufiiciently tensioned by said movable means will hold the same frictionally in position and maintain said strap means under tension for continuously exerting pressure from the outside against said boards.

6. In a hand press the combination with two oppositely disposed boards adapted to move relative to each other for receiving a material therebetween in pressure engagement, of clamping means comprising a longitudinal strap having a body portion and two end portions, said body portion adapted to encircle said boards exteriorly, one of said end portions connected with relation to the exterior of one of said boards, the other end portion disposed between said first end portion and the exterior of said board and in frictional contact with said first end portion, and tightening means having a cylindrical surface adapted to engage said second end portion and arranged with relation between said first end portion and said exterior of said board and manually operable to wind said second portion around the cylindrical surface thereof for completely encircling the same, whereby said strap will be longitudinally tentioned for providing pressure from the outside against said boards and at the same time against said tightening means for frictionally preventing the unwinding of said second end portion, thus perpetuating the tensioning of said strap.

i 7. In ahandpress the' combination withthe v,twooppositely 'disposed boards adapted to 'move .relative to each otherfor receiving a material ,therebetween in pressure engagement, of clamp- .ingmeans comprising a longitudinal'strap Vhaving .a body portion and two end portions,.,said body .portion adapted to encircle said boards exteriorly, ,oneof said end portions connected with relation to,the exterior of one of said boards, ;the other end lportion disposed between said first endportion and the exterior of said board and in frictional contact with said first end portion, rotatable tightening means having ,a cylindrical surface adapted to engage said second end portion and `arranged with relation between said: first end portion and said exterior of said board and manually operable to wind said second portion around the cylindrical surface thereof for completely encirclingv the same, whereby said strap will be longitudinally tensioned for providing pressure from the outsidev against said boards and at the same 'time against said tightening means for frictionally preventingthe unwinding of said second end portion, thus perpetuating the tensioning of said strap, and detachable means for manually rotating said tightening means in opposite directions for increasing and decreasing tension within said strapp i,

8. In a hand press designed manually to compressmaterial between two fiat surfaces comprising: a lower boardl including an upper and a lower surface, the upper surface fiat and in contact with saidA material, the lower surface having a straight groove; an upper board oppositely arranged with Vrelation to said lower board and including a`V top surface and a bottomsurface, said bottoml surface flat and inrcontact with said material; and clamping means comprising a longitudinal strap having Va vbody portion and two end portions, said body portion adapted to encircle said boards exteriorly, a part thereof placed in said groove, said groove having a -depth greater than the thickness of said strap so that no part thereof will project beyond the lower surface of said lower board, one of said end portions connected with relation to the top surface of said upper board, the other end portion disposed adjacent thereto and in contact therewith between said first end portion and the top surface of said upper board, and tightening means having a cylindrical surface adapted to engage said second end portion and arranged with relation between said first end portion and said top surface of said upper board and manually operable to wind said second portion around the cylindrical surface thereof for completely encircling the same, whereby said strap will be longitudinally tensioned for providing pressure from the outside against said boards and at the same time against said tightening means for preventing the unwindingof said second portion, thus perpetuating the tensioning of said strap.

9. In a hand press designed manually to compress material between two fiat surfaces comprising: a lower board including an upper surface fiat and in connection with said material, a lower surface oppositely arranged to said upper surface and a side surface between said upper and said lower surfaces and having a straight groove about midway in said lower surface and two opposite grooves in said side surface joining opposite ends of said straight groove, the joining surfaces being rounded, thereby providing a continuous exterior groove in said lower board of smooth surfaces throughout for minimizinz friction therein; an

upper board oppositely arranged with relation to said lower board including a flat bottom surface in contact with said material, a top surface opposite thereto and a side surface therebetween and having two opposite grooves in said side surface in alignment With said opposite grooves of said lower board; and clamping means comprising a longitudinal strap having a body portion and two end portions, said body portion adapted to encircle said boards exteriorly, a part thereof placed in said grooves, said grooves having a depth greater than the thickness of 'said strap so that no part thereof will project beyond the lower surface of said lower board, one of said end portions connected with relation to theitop surface of said upper board, the other end portion disposed adjacent thereto and in contact therewith between said first end portion and the top surface of said upper board, and tightening means having a cylindrical surface adapted to engag'e said second end portion and arranged with relation between said first end portion and said top surface of said upper board and manually operable to Wind said second portion around the cylindrical surface thereof for completely encircling the same, whereby said strap will be Vlongitudinally tensioned for providing pressure from the outside against said boards and at the same time against said tightening means for preventing the unwinding of said second'portion, thus perpetuating the tensioning of said strap.

10. In a hand press the combination with two -oppositely disposed boards adapted to move relative to each other for receiving a material therebetween in pressure engagement, of clamping means comprising a longitudinal strap having a body portion and two end portions, said body portion adapted to encircle said boards exteriorly, one of said end portions forming a loop, a rod Acarried in said loop having opposite ends each projeoting sideways Vbeyond said strap, two spaced hook's secured to the outer surface of one of said boards and each in detachable engagement with a projecting end of said rod for removably connecting'said rod to said one board and spacing it therefrom for a distance, the other end portion disposed between said first end portion and the exte'rior of said board and in frictional contact With said first end portion, and tightening means having 'a cylind'rical surface adapted to engage said second end portion and arranged with relation between said first end portion and said eX- terior -of vsaid board and manually operable to Wind said second p'ortion around the cylindrical surface thereof for completely encircling ,the same, a portion of said strap near said second end portion passing between said first end portion and the eXterio'r of the board intermediate said two spaced hooks, said end 'portions in frictional eng'agement, whereby said strap may be longitudinally tensioned for providing pressure from the outside against said boards and at the same time against said tightening means for frictionally preventing the unwinding` of said lsecond end portion, thus perpetuating the tensioning of said strap.

ABRAHAM ALK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of thisl patent:

` UNITED s'rA'rEs PATENTS Number Name Date 402,776 Sparks May 7, 1889 1,`178,071 Herz Apr. Li, 1916 21306327 Scho'lt'es June 25, 1935 

